A North Pacific storm raced ashore, bringing light, scattered showers and really strong winds that will last much of the day. The wind has gusted more than 40 mph inland and is currently affecting traffic on eastern Interstate 8. The winds also are gusting above 25 mph on the coast, and could hit 45 mph, says the National Weather Service.

But the thing people will soon talking about is the cold; a huge pool of cold air is trailing the system and could produce some of coldest weather the region has experienced in six years. Local farmers are bracing for frigid and potentially damaging conditions. A similar cold snap produced $114 million in damage in 2007.

The onset of the cold air will begin on Thursday night. Temperatures will slip to the mid-40s in San Diego, but fall to the mid-30s in places like Escondido and Ramona. Conditions will grow worse, with temperatures flirting with the upper 30s in San Diego Friday and Saturday night. The weather will be just as cold along the entire coastline, and the temperature will be in the 25-30 degree range across most inland valleys and foothills. Frost will form in many areas, and the air will become cold enough to damage plants.

Wind, rain and cold

A winter weather warning has been issued for East County, and a wind advisory is in effect for most of the county. The weather service says that coastal winds could hit 45 mph on Thursday. The winds will clip the tops off waves, which will be breaking 3-4 feet in most areas.

The cold snap could be the worst since January 2007, when three days of subfreezing temperatures caused more than $114 million in crop damage in San Diego County.

“The farmers are concerned with this one,” said Eric Larson, executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau. “But they know these things can happen, and they’re absolutely prepared.”

The big chill begins today, when the leading edge of a North Pacific storm reaches San Diego County. The system should prevent the city’s daytime high from rising above 58, which is seven degrees below normal. There will be showers west of the mountain, and up to six inches of snow above the 5,000 foot level. Snow could fall as low as 2,000 feet.

But what should be most memorable will be the cold air that flows into the region after the precipitation stops. The daytime highs aren’t expected to get out of the 50s all weekend in San Diego, and the lows will be enough to bring frost advisories from the desert to the sea.

Larson said the county’s avocado growers and nursery owners will be most vulnerable to the cold. If the cold storm doesn’t drop much rain, growers will be busy irrigating their groves and fields. When the ground is wet, it absorbs more heat during the day and releases it during the night, providing some protection for plants.